Chet Lemon, 1984 Tigers World Series champion, dies at 70
ANAHEIM, CA: Chet Lemon of the Detroit Tigers bats against the California Angels at the Big A in Anahiem, California. (Photo by Owen C. Shaw/Getty Images)
FOX 2 - Chet Lemon, one of the heroes of the Detroit Tigers 1984 World Series championship team, has died at 70.
Lemon died Thursday at his home. He had been battling health issues including blood clots and more than a dozen strokes with the ailments leaving him unable to walk or talk.
The former outfielder was a three-time American League All-Star and retired in 1990. The Detroit Free Press reported that since 1990, Lemon had been hospitalized about 300 times.
The Tigers released a statement about his passing:
"The Detroit Tigers join all of baseball in mourning of the passing of Chet Lemon. While he was a World Series Champion and All-Star on the field, perhaps his biggest impact came off of it. That includes creating the Chet Lemon Foundation and dedicating much of his post-playing career to youth baseball development.
"Our thoughts are with Chet’s family, friends and all those he coached, mentored and inspired."
DETROIT, MI - JUNE 29: Former Detroit Tigers outfielder Chet Lemon looks on during the ceremony to honor the 35th anniversary of the 1984 Detroit Tigers world championship team prior to the game against the Washington Nationals at Comerica Park on Ju
Lemon was born in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1955 but moved with his family to Los Angeles as a toddler.
He was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the first round of the 1972 draft, was traded to the Chicago White Sox in 1975, and came to the Tigers in 1981.
Lemon was acquired by Detroit in a trade for Steve Kemp and played with the Tigers until he retired in 1990.